Tongueless buckle



April 16, 1935.

L. REITER TONGUELESS BUCKLE Filed NOV. 24, 1933 fisprroR alter M ORNEY l 5 e. u

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 I UNITED STATES PATENT ,OFFICE TONGUELESS, BUCKLE Lues Reiter, Providence, It. I. Application November 24, 1933, Serial No. 699,512 8 Claims. (01. 24-193) This invention relates to strap or belt buckles and particularly, to the type wherein prongs and strap-piercing tongues are omitted.

My invention contemplates the provision of a 5 simple and eflicient buckle adapted to be economically manufactured and adapted to be applied to a great varietyof articles, such as articles of apparel including knickerbockers, belts, shoes, garters, gloves, over-gaiters and the like, as well as to luggage, automobile curtains and other goods wherein adjustable buckles are em ployed.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a pair of frames adapted to cooperate to secure a strap firmly and adjustably in place to the buckleformed by the frames,- at a loop formed in the strap, and without any sewing or stitching operations. I My invention further contemplates theprovision of strap-holding means for exerting sufficient friction upon a strap folded on itself, not only-to firmly hold the strap against slipping tin--v der tension applied theretmbut to increase its grip as the. tension is increased, while nevertheless permitting ready adjustment of the effective strap length. i V

, The various objects'of my invention will be clear from the description which follows, and from the drawing, in which, 7 V r V Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my improved buckle as it appears in operative position, with one strap end secured theretoas by sewing, and the other strap endadjustably secured thereto by a looped fold. x

:Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig 3 is a rear elevational view of the buckle; Fig. 4 is a section ,of the buckle similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of the pivot thereof.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated by way of example, my improved buckle'consists of a pair of superime posed frames Ill and II pivoted together at their adjacent ends. In the frame H, there is provided an opening 34 bounded by the side bars l2, joined at one end by the curved end bar l3, and at the other end by the narrower end bar l4; At its inner edge l5,the' end bar M is extended to provide a hollow, substantially cylindrical projection or closed loop l6 having the opening I! therein. It will be understood that the frame I I may be made of a single piece of sheet metal or other suitable material preferably made convex longitudinally, as is best seen in Fig. 2.

The frame In is-also preferably made of a single piece of sheet metal or other suitable material, being provided with the end bars. i8 and i9 and the side bars 20 and 21! integral at their ends with the end bars and surrounding the opening 33. From the inner edge 22 of the end bar l8 extends laterally the, loop-forming flange 23 5 in a substantially perpendicular direction, said flange being integral with the end bar and being provided preferably with suitable rounded corners as 24 to prevent said flange from cutting into the strap. It will be understood that the peripheral edge 25 of the flange may also be rounded if desired, for'the same purpose.

To assemble the frames If) and H, the end bar IQ of the longer frame I0 is arranged preferably underneath the end bar I4 of the shorter frame H, whereafter the extension 16 is bent into its final cylindrical 'form about the bar l9 to enclose said bar and to pivotally secure the frames together. In their assembled positions, the outer edgeof the end bar [3 'is spaced from the iange 23 to provide a belt-receiving space or opening 35.

It will be understood, however, as shown in Fig. 4, thatthe extension for pivoting'the frames together may project from the frame in instead of from the frame I I. In this formof my invention, the loop or cylinder 26 extends from the inner edge 21 of the end bar [9 of the frame ill, said material 26 being bent about and encompassing the end bar I4 of the frame I I In either case, the space 35 may be of the size sufficient to receive the strap orbelt end of theleast thickness with which the buckle is to be used, or less if desired, the space being increased to receive a belt of thicker material by merely swinging the buckle frames slightly apart. V

In use, one of the straps as 30 has its end portion passed about'the hinge cylinder or loop it or 26, as the case may be, and is secured thereto as by means of suitable stitching 3i, staples or the like, the curved shape of said cylinder permitting the belt to' move freely thereabout to adjust itself to' the direction of stress. The other strap 32 is adjustably secured to the buckle by first passing theend portion thereof through the openings 33 and 34 in the respective frames IQ and i I, then around the end bar l3 of the frame i I, then through the space 35between the outer edge of the end bar l3 and the innersurface of the flange 23 and then finally, under the end bar l8 back in the same direction as that of the remainder of the strap 32. I

The portion 36 of the strap 32 thereby becomes looped as at 31 to form a return bend in the strap, and comes back in the same direction as the part 32 of the strap, said strap being completely folded on itself after its passage around the end bar l3. When tension is put upon the straps 30 and 32, the tension on the loop 31 is increased but any movement or slipping of said loop and of the strap relatively to the buckle is prevented by the friction developed at the flange 23.

The effective length of the strap 32, however, can be quickly and easily shortened by pulling on the strap end 36, or lengthened by loosening said end and thereby enlarging and pulling back the loop 31. There is no possibility of the loop 31 slipping about the bar I3, said loop being effectively confined in place by the frictional engagement of the strap part 31 with the bar l3 and the flange 33 and particularly, the edge 35 thereof, the pressure of the strap bends 38 and 39 below the flange 23 against each other causing sufficient friction or resistance to hold the parts against movement during tension on the strap.

It will be seen that my improved buckle is selfadjusting to various thicknesses of strap material. When comparatively thick material is passed through the space 35, said space is increased since the frame II is raised about its pivot relatively to the frame It). Similarly, for thinner material, the frame ll under tension on the strap swings down closer to the frame In to decrease the space 35. Increased tension on the strap merely serves to draw the members l0 and II closer together without any danger of the strap slipping.

It will further be seen that I have provided a simple, economical and eflicient buckle adapted to be rapidly and securely attached to a strap by merely folding the strap thereabout, that my improved buckle is self-adjusting to various thicknesses of material, that it eliminates the necessity for the use of strap-piercing prongs or tongues on the buckle, that the strap may be readily adjusted thereabout to increase or decrease the effective length of the strap, that my buckle has no parts which might tend to mutilate the straps attached thereto, that it may be applied to a variety of articles such as articles of apparel, to leather straps, automobile curtain straps and the like, and that it is well adapted to meet the severe requirements of practical use.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto since I intend to claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a buckle, a one-piece sheet metal frame having a pair of spaced end bars and a pair of spaced side bars integral with and joining the end bars to provide an opening between the bars, said frame being bent into convex form, a second shorter one-piece sheet metal frame having a pair of spaced end bars and a pair of spaced side bars integral with and joining the end bars to provide an opening between the bars of said second frame, means for joining an end 'bar of one frame to an end bar of the other frame at one end of the buckle to pivotally secure the frames together, comprising an integral extension projecting from the inner edge of the end bar of one of the frames and bent about the corresponding end bar of the other frame and providing an opening in said extension of substantially the same width as that of said corresponding end bar and thereby preventing excessive relative longitudinal movement of said frames, the outer edge of the other end bar of the shorter frame being unserrated and convex and the inner edge of the adjacent end bar of the longer frame being straight to provide a belt-receiving space therebetween narrowest at the middle of the buckle and increasing toward the side bars, and loop-forming means at the other end of the buckle comprising a flat beltengaging flange integral with and extending at substantially right angles from said inner lastmentioned edge and limiting said belt-receiving space, said flange having rounded corners and a .rounded bend at the juncture of the flange and said inner edge whereby cutting of a belt is prevented and a belt end passed upwardly about the unsecured end bar of the shorter frame and then downwardly through the belt-receiving space is adapted to be bent by said flange on tension applied to the belt, and said belt may be shortened while secured in the buckle by a pull on said belt end.

2. In a buckle, a pair of sheet metal upwardly convex frames, one shorter than the other, pivotally secured together atone end of the buckle, and each having a pair of transverse end bars across the entire width of the frame, and an integral flange projecting laterally from the inner end edge of the end bar of the longer of the frames at the other end of the buckle, the outer edge of the end bar of the shorter frame at said other end being convex to provide a space between the flange and the said outer edge of the shorter frame bar least at the middle of the buckle and increasing toward the sides.

3. In a buckle, a pair of superimposed sheet metal frames of different lengths each having a pair of imperforate end bars, one wider than the other, an extension on the narrower end bar of one frame passing about the adjacent end bar of the other frame, and a flat flange on the inner edge of the wider end bar of the larger frame arranged adjacent to and cooperating with the outer edge of the corresponding end bar of the shorter frame, the inner face of said flange being adapted to engage a belt and to develop suflicient friction on a belt passed about said corresponding end bar and engaging the inner face of the flange to hold the belt against slipping on the buckle under tension on the belt, but permitting shortening of the belt while secured by the buckle.

4. In a buckle, a pair of superimposed frames of different lengths and of sheet material and each comprising an end bar having an inner and an outer edge, means for pivotally securing said frames together at one end of the buckle, and a flat belt-engaging flange integral with and projecting from the inner edge of the end bar of the longer frame and arranged beyond the outer edge of the end bar of the smaller frame, the inner face of the flange engaging a belt passed between the inner edge of the end bar of the longer frame and the outer edge of the end bar of the shorter frame.

5. In a buckle, a pair of superposed frames of sheet material and differing in length and each provided with a pair of end bars, an extension on the inner edge of one of the end bars of one frame passed around the corresponding end bar of the other frame, a flat belt-engaging friction flange having a smooth, straight peripheral edge extending laterally from the inner edge of the other end bar of the longer frame, and at right angles thereto,'and an outer edge on the other end bar of the shorter frame cooperating with the innasponding end bar of the longer frame to pivot said frames together, a flat belt-engaging flange terminating in a smooth unserrated edge extending from the inner edge of and perpendicular to the end bar of the longer frame remote from said extension and an outer edge on the shorter frame spaced longitudinally from the flange and cooperating with the inner face thereof to grip a belt therebetween.

' shorter frame and the inner adjacent edge of the end bar of the other frame, and a projection extending from the inner edge of the aligned end bar of one of the frames and bent outwardly and upwardly around the adjacent end bar of the other frame for pivotally securing said frames together and providing a rounded surface adapted to have a belt end secured thereto and also providing an opening in said extension of substan-V tially the same width as that of said adjacent end bar and thereby preventing excessive relative longitudinal movement of said frames.

8. In a buckle, a pair of one-piece sheet metal frames each having a pair of transverse end bars across the entire width of the frame, one of said end bars being wider than the other, and a pair of spaced parallel side bars integrally connecting the end bars, said end bars being imperforate, one of the frames being shorter than the other, and the shorter frame being superimposed upon the longer frame, the outermost edge of each of the side bars of the shorter frame for at least part of its length being in vertical alignment with part of the outermost edge of the adjacent side bar of the longer frame, the wider end bar of each frame being convex upwardly in a longitudinal direction between the outer and the inner edges thereof and being straight transversely in a direction between the side bars, a flat belt-engaging flange integral with and extending at substantially right angles from the inner edge of the end bar of the longer frame, said flange being co-extensive with the inner edge of the wider end bar of the longer frame and having rounded corners thereon whereby cutting of a belt passed between the wider end bars of said frames is prevented, and an integral extension projecting downwardly from the inner edge of the narrower end bar of the shorter frame and bent outwardly and upwardly about the'narrower end 'bar of the longer frame, and providing an opening in said extension of substantially the same width as that of the narrower end bar of the longer frame and thereby preventing excessive relative longitudinal movement of said frames, said extension pivotally connecting said frames together.

LUES REITER. 

